KAMPALA, Uganda – Detained opposition politician Kizza Besigye has written to High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma, insisting that deported Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua and detained lawyer Erias Lukwago remain his two principal legal representatives.
In a letter dated July 1, 2026, from Luzira Government Prison, where he is being held, Besigye complained about what he described as directions issued by Justice Baguma in his pending bail application and a separate human rights enforcement case arising from Criminal Session Case No. 335 of 2025.
The letter, which was also signed on behalf of co-accused Hajj Obeid Lutale, argues that the court’s scheduling decisions undermine their constitutional right to adequate legal representation and a fair hearing.
Besigye said the court had ignored concerns raised during an earlier appearance regarding the absence of lawyers of their choice, concerns that had prompted the filing of a separate application seeking relief.
“It is impossible for us to prosecute this application in the circumstances that you have created in your Court, where phrases like ‘adequate time’ or ‘legal representation of our choice’ have no meaning,” the letter states.
The former presidential candidate asked the court to revise the timetable for hearing his latest bail application, saying the three-day schedule between filing responses and hearing the matter was unrealistic for prisoners with limited access to legal counsel.
“We ask you to reflect carefully on these directions and amend the schedule to allow us at least three weeks to prepare for the application,” the letter reads.
Besigye also accused the court of delaying the hearing of his bail application beyond the timelines provided for under the Constitution (Bail Guidelines for Courts of Judicature) (Practice) Directions, 2022, before abruptly setting it down for hearing.
He questioned what he described as the “supersonic hearing” of the application, suggesting the pace raised concerns about whether the matter would receive a fair hearing.
Regarding the pending human rights enforcement application, Besigye said the case challenges what he describes as violations of his constitutional rights, including alleged unlawful rendition and public statements by the Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, which he argues prejudice his right to a fair trial.
In the letter, Besigye said Lukwago, one of the lead members of his legal team, had been arrested shortly after the court fixed the human rights application for hearing and remains on remand.
He also noted that Karua, another lead lawyer on his defence team, had been deported from Uganda, arguing that both developments had severely affected his legal representation.
According to Besigye, despite their absence, Lukwago and Karua remain his two primary lawyers, and he maintains that he has the constitutional right to be represented by counsel of his own choosing.
The letter further reiterates Besigye’s position that the rights and freedoms guaranteed under Uganda’s Constitution are inherent and must be respected by all state institutions, including the courts.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Judiciary had not publicly responded to the contents of the letter by the time of publication.
